I See Fire
by scarlet tribe
Summary: One of Shield's best agents has lost their mind due to an unfortunate event. Even sadder is the fact that the only person who could help her is mainly to blame. Loki is given the opportunity to begin to make amends. However, it is a race against the clock as a new threat arrives and Loki must assist them in fighting as well. Does he? Can she be saved? Can they?


So this is based off the theory that Loki was corrupted by the Tesseract so he will be different form the movies. So this is just an experiment so let me know what you think. If i get enough reviews and good feedback i will continue. This one is kinda boring but just think of how far it will go

"Director Fury, her condition is not improving. It seems as if she is getting worse. Her time lucid is shortening and the hallucinations are getting worse. Her violence is increasing and she managed to knock herself out three times this morning alone." Maria Hill reported to Fury.

"Do we have any idea what is causing this?" Fury asked and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Negative." There was silence for a few beats. "Sir, what are we going to do?" Fury let out a sigh. He had no clue. He was debating requesting Banner's assistance but then Stark would want to know what was going on. Barton and Romanov already knew so then he would have to drag Steve into the mess and that would not be good either.

But what else could he do? The woman needed a doctor and fast.

"call banner and get him here, by any means nessescary."

"Yes, sir."

The conversation ended.

Dr. Banner was sitting at the island, eating his dinner while Tony helped himself to a drink. They were both discussing possible ideas for the floors Tony was building for everyone. It had only been a few weeks since Loki had released an army upon New York.

"Dr. Banner, I have a private call from Sheild for you." Jarvis stated. Both men fell silent and exchanged confused glances.

"Put it on speaker Jarvis." Tony ordered.

"I am afraid I cannot. It is only ment for Dr. Banner." Both men sat silent before Banner picked up his phone ( a new one Tony had given him) and answered.

tOny sat and watched his new friend. Banner's face remained neutral, as did his tone until the end. When he hung up, Tony badgered him with so many questions.

"Tony, I can't tell you."

"Did they say you couldn't?"

"Well, no but it was a pri-"

"Tell me."

"Tony, they need me to go in as a doctor. I shouldn't tell you anything." Banner tried.

"Fine. I guess I'll just tag along. Nothing you can do to stop me." HE said as he patted Bruce's shoulder and walked by, about to go pack. Bruce sighed but didn't argue.

Tony and Bruce were being led down the hall by Barton. Natasha had retrieved Steve and the two were already in the holding cell.

"Basically, this agent has lost her freaking mind and we need help figuring out why. Dr. Banner, that is why you are here. We have had all the top doctors and psychiatrists look at her and no one can tell us why." Barton filled them in a bit.

"Why is she being held here like a prisoner? Why not at a hospital?" Tony asked, not too worried but a little curious.

"She is not only one of our top agents, she is also a scientist. SHE specializes in extra terrestrial because she's an alien herself. We can't just ship her off to a nut house."

"Does she look weird or something?" Tony asked. The doors swooshed open and a burst of flame jumped out at them. The three men jumped back.

"Dammit. Nat! You guys ok?" Barton called out. They could hear a struggle but no response. Barton jumped into the room and booked it down another hall of cells and arounda corner when they heard Natasha's pained scream. Bruce and Tony took aminute before they ran as well.

Rounding the corner, the two men saw Steve lifting up a small woman off Natasha, her long straight black hair covering her face. Steve wrestled her arms to her back and pinned her against the wall, face first, where she struggled and screamed. Barton was helping Nat off the ground, blood oozing from a bite on her fore arm.

"Holy shit." Bruce muttered quietly and went to look at Nat's arm. Tony watched the girl struggle.

"Ma'am, calm down. Stop fighting, you are ok. We aren't going to hurt you." Steve said urgently. Natasha tried to stand but was held down by both men by her side.

"Steve, she doesn't understand. She's not all there!" She said uregently.

"Let me go you fat fuck! Fuck you, you lying sack of shit! I'm going to murder you! MURDER! BURN IN HELL I WILL FUCKING BURN YOU FUCKING MURDERERS!" Her yelling escalated to screaming and they could see smoke rise form her arms where steve was holding her. He tried to hold back his pained yell but was forced to let her go once she caught fire. The moment he stepped away, she caught fire and turned to them, fury and anger clear in her black, empty eyes.

The fire was put out when Barton stood next to her and sprayed her down with a fire extinguisher. The moment the fire was out, she was on the floor, completely out cold. Everyone relaxed margionally.

"Woah." Tony muttered. Bruce stopped staring and helped Natasha to her feet. She was banged up but fine. She reassured Banner she was fine.

"Dr. Banner, I'm fine. I can make it to the infirmary. She needs your help more." Natasha said reassuringly. Everyone tensed when the woman groaned and slowly rolled over onto Barton's foot.

"Ow." She muttered and brought a hand to her face. Barton looked to Natahsa and Steve stepped closer silently. Natasha nodded ad Clint and he bent down on a knee, gently grabbing her shoulders.

"Hey, Dr. Stehl. You with us?" He asked quietly. She moved her hand down her face and let it fall to one of his. She hummed and her hand went limp.

"SHe's out." Barton said quietly, looking to the rest of the group. A few realxed and Bruce went over to help Barton move her back to her padded room.

* * *

Tony, Steve, and Natasha sat at the glass table on the bridge of the helicarrier with Maria Hill and Nick Fury. Tony sat still and silent, completely throw off by what he had just seen, he was still trying to understand what he had seen and process it.

"What the hell was that?" Tony asked, finally. Maria looked to the floor and what seemed to be shame and Nick turned his back on them, obviously not happy with it either. "Nick, don't make me hack you again." Tony threatened.

"Agent Rune. Dr. Tyra Unn Stehl. One of the most brilliant minds we have in this agency. She worked as our head of research and information and often acted as my personal adviser and friend. She was also a damn good agent. Recently, she survived a catastrophic accident but is slowly losing her mind, as you have witnessed. We need Dr. Banner to find out what is happening, why and how we can reverse it." Nick said without turning around.

"What happened, Director?" Steve asked and Natasha looked down. She was there but could not do anything to save her. When no one answered, Tony threatened again.

"No worries, Captain, I can find out for you easily." Tony said as he stood. Nick wipped around and spoke.

"Chitauri." TOny stopped and looked, confused. "I thought we killed all of them." Steve stated.

"We did. Dr. Stehl is not of earth. She says her people are called Elementerras: living embodiments of the elements. As you have witnessed, hers is fire. She has some knowledge on the Chitauri and was assigned to help assist with cleanign up New York. During that time, she came across a Chitauri that was unlike the others. SHe said it looked like an evolved version. Dr. Stehl requested to keep it and study it. The invaders were powered by an energy source on the ships that were destroyed. She claimed to be able to recreate the power. She was only to create enough power for basic body function and not any decision making. Something went wrong and it came all the way back. We are unsure of what happened but something it did to her is now destroy her and we need to stop it." Nick stated firmly.

Natasha rose and began pressing buttons on the table to bring up a video feed. "We have security footage of what happened. It's hard to explain without it."

Dr. Stehl was standing next to the body of the Chitauri on the examination table. "Turn on power. Start low." SHe stated in a firm and calm voice, so diffiernt than the one screaming hysterically. They watched as the thing slowly cam back. It began to breathe and twitch. "THat's enough, no more."

Dr. Stehl began administering basic sensorimotor skills. When she was testing the response in it's falangi, it sat up and grabbed her by the throat. The alarms sounded and something like a dark tentacle came up from its wrist and stabbed into her neck. Her eyes went white and the color drained from her face as she let out a pained scream. The video captured Natasha killing it again and helping the doctor. The feed ended.

"A few days later, she had a psychotic break. She became agressive and violent to people who were very close to her. She burnt her main research facility to the ground in the fit. All of her research lost, nearly no survivors. The building was literally reduced to ash." Natasha narrorated and showed a recording of a dark, smoking spot on the ground in a desert.

"She did that?" Steve breathed. Natasha eyed Stark who was uncharacteristically silent.

"What was she specializing in?" TOny asked, snapping his eyes to the director. He should have heard of her if she was as good as they say.

"Extraterestrial, anatomy, zoology and linguistics. She was an expert. She had a minor in computer sciences." Maria supplied. Tony replied with an "ah." They were broad fields but nothing in his area. Her mental capacity for knowledge must have been extensive. Something hit TOny then.

"WHy are we all using past tense?" Tony asked and looked around. He was met with silence. "SHe's still alive, isn't she? She still knows all of this stuff. Why use past tense unless you are already writing her off as dead." Tony accused. Nick sighed.

"There are some who have no hope. We cannot isolate what she was injected with. We brought banner here to see what he can do. We are also waiting on Thor. He was here a few days ago when he heard what had happened. He returned to try and find someone who can help. He has yet to return."

"Hope or not, she is still here. You had Dr. Banner dragged back here on no hope? Thor is jumping worlds, trying to find help and there is no hope? Nick, there is obviously hope, i just think you are too ready to give up on your friend." Nick watched him with his one good eye. All turned to the doors as they swooshed open, showing Thor and a face no one wanted to see.

Everyone was standing, guns ready or ready to throw a punch, and aimed at Loki, waiting for him to try and destroy something. He stood calm with his hands raised and looking worse for wear.

"Lower your weapons." Thor's voice boomed. "He is merely here to help your friend." That threw everyone for a loop. No one expected that.

"What the hell do you mean by this?" Nick asked, gun still aimed at Loki.

"Why is he here, THor?" Steve asked, shield ready to throw. Loki moved forward and placed a hand on Thor's shoulder.

"Not one more step, Loki!" Natasha yelled.

"Lower your weapons! He is here on oath that he will not harm a single human unprovoked!" Thor argued.

"And how do we know he isn't going to break said oath?" Fury challenged. Loki's calm and smooth voice sounded through the room.

"Because if I am to break the oath, I am to die."

"Lower your weapons." Thor demanded again. Fury nodded to the room, trusting Thor's judgement. Tony thought he must have been desperate if he was willing to listen to Loki.

Loki stepped in front of his brother. He was paler and thinner than last time. The bags under his eyes made him look even more sickly. His hir was wavy and untamed. It was so messy. He wore a simple green tunic and black leather pants and boots.

"I have come to offer my assistance with your comrade. My brother has informed me of the tragedy. I have given an oath to help in any possible way I can. Should i deviate from this oath, I will be executed on the spot. However, that is not an issue. The tragedy that has befallen your friend was most likely intended for me should I have failed the Chitauri." Loki began to explain.

"And why would you possibly want to help us, Raggedy Anne?" Tony asked. Loki's appearance was indeed raggedy. Loki met Tony with a gaze filled with such pain, sorrow, and guilt, it amplified his next sentence.

"Because no one, not even one of you mere humans, should be forced to endure the torment of the Chitauri."

* * *

Natasha was not happy with her new assignment and had so many questions. but being the good agent she was, she followed her orders and escorted Loki down the hall. He kept up with her pace and did not try to speak with her for the first few minutes.

"I assume you have questions." He said with a sigh.

"WHy are you so different. Before you were so intent on killing anything you considered beneath you. Answer that for starters." She demanded.

"The tessaract is an object that can corrupt even the purest of hearts. I am far from a pure heart and therefore more susceptible to its power. Though it does not excuse my actions, I was not completely aware of what was happening. It is my fault this person is suffering so. I am frankly surprised that she is still alive. It is intriguing really. her race is rare and I have been wanting to meet one for quite some time." He admitted.

"So you feel different about humans then?" SHe queried. Loki snorted.

"Of course not, your pathetic race is still weak and pitiful but you are a waste of my time and efforts. I have bigger goals in mind."


End file.
